THIRD ANNUAL REPORT 



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OF THE 



TOPOGRAPHICAL SURVEY 



OF LOXJISIJ^lSrA^ 



By colonel SAMUEL H. LOCXETT, 



PKOFESSOR OF ENGINEERING, LOUISIANA STATE UNIVERSITY 



NEW OELEANS: 

PRINTED AT TaE REPUBLICAN OFFICE, 94 CAMP STREET. 
1872. 




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F-315 



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SMITHSONIAN DKI'OSIT, 






THIRD ANNUAL REPORT 






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OP^ COTJISI-A.N-A 



Bv COLONEL SAMUEL H. LOCKKTT, 



PliOVESSOU OF KXCIXF.EraNC, I.OL'IStAXA STATE UXIVEltSITi 



7 



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NEW ORLExiNS: : 

rrjNTED AT THE REPUBLICAN OEFICE, 91 CAMP STIIEET. 

1872. 



;j: THIRD ANNUAL TOPOGRAPHICAL REPORT. 



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Louisiana State University, 

Baton Rouge. 

Col. D. F. Boyd, Superintendent Louisiana State University: 

Sir — Herein I beg leave to submit my third annual report of ope- 
rations in the topographical survey of the State of Louisiana. The 
parishes that I have visited and examined during the past year are 
the follovriog, vix: West Feliciana, East Feliciana, St. Helena, Tun- 
gipahoa, Washington, St. Tammany and Livingston. 

Parish of West Feliciana. 

In my first annual report (1869) I incidentally noticed the parish 
of West Feliciana in a partial description therein given of East 
Feliciana. My observations on both of these parishes have been of 
a more detailed and extended nature this year, and the following 
will be found a more full and accurate account of them : 

The bluflfs that infringe against the Mississippi river at Fort 
Adams, in the State of Mississippi, continue in a nearly due south 
direction to Tunica Bend in West Feliciana ; thence they bear south- 
east to the town of St. Francisville, and thence in the same general 
di'^ection to Port Hudson and Baton Rouge. Between the line of 
b.uffs and the river is an alluvial bottoui, varying in width according 
to Ia) sinuosities of the rivor. Where the bluffs cross the State line 
the width of the bottom is from three and a half to four miles. At 
Tunica and Bayou Sara it is reduced to almost nothing, while oppo- 
site to Morgan's Bend it reaches a Avidth of over eight miles. The 
character of this bottom is similar to that of the Mississippi bottom 
at other points. Along the immediate banks of the river the lands 
are arable and generally cultivated. They are, however, only par- 
tially protected from annual overflow. Passing back from the river 
the surface becomes low and swampy, cut up by bayous and nu- 
merous lakes. Among the lakes the most important are, beginning 
at the north, J^ake of the Cross, Ratcliff's Lake, Black Fork Lake, 



i 

Pugh's Lake, Cobb "a Lake, and the numerous lakea of Cat Island. 
TurnbuH's Island and that made by the Racourci cut-off are included 
in West Feliciana, and possess characteristics entirely similar to the 
rest of the bottom. 

Leaving the bottom, we rise the steep e.scarpmeiits, or gentle 
slopes of the bluffs, reaching, on many summits, an elevation of 
iiiore than two hundred feet. Throughout tlie whole of West Feli- 
ciana, back to the line of jyines, we find all the distinctive features 
of the bluff lands very strongly marked. The creeks and bayous 
that run through these lauds have cut deep, sinuonr-t, narrow valleys, 
which, with the gullies and leaser valleys of the tributaries, render 
the surface exceedingly broken and irregular. Between the 'maiii 
stream.s some extensive level table lands may be found. All of this 
region is fertile and has been a very fine agricultural country. The 
rapidity with which the exposed surface washes, however, and the 
peculiarly abrupt slopes which all the washes take, have caused 
much of it to bo thrown our, although its fertility is by no means 
destroyed . 

The principal bayous in the bluff region are Tunica, Bingaman's, 
Big and Little Bayou Sara, Alexander's creek, Thompon's creek, 
vvith its numerous forks and tributaries flowing in from the west. 

The forest growth of the bluff lands is a heavy one, of beech, 
magnolia, poplar, oaks (th« white, overcup and pin oak predom- 
inating), black and sweet guras. The soil is of a dark orange 
yellow color, light, easily worked, lipcoming quickly inuddj^ in wet 
and dusty in dry weather. 

Going eastward, wo fijid ^ivm. -.-.m luf i'.;utuiet> abuve uescnijcd dib- 
appear at a line running in general parallel to the Mississippi river, 
and varying from thirteen to eighteen miles in distance from it. 
This is the line I have above designated as the line of the pines, as 
that tree becomes one of the characteristic features of the country 
l)eyond it. 

Mr. "William B. Smith, a civil engineer and surveyor of W'est Fe- 
liciana, very kindly traced that line for me, and I will give its loca- 
tion in his own words: "It enters this State and parish two miles 
west of the middle prong of Thompson's creek, traversing the eastern 
portion of section sixty-two, township one south, range two west; 
thence south until it intersects the middle prong of Thompson's 



creek; following thence the course of the creek until within about 
one and a half miles of the line dividing township one south, range 
two west, and township two south, range two west; then crossing 
the middle prong of Thompson's ci'eek it traverses section forty- 
three, township one south, range two west, in a westerly direction to 
Mill creek; thence west to west prong of Thompson's creek; cross- 
ing, it takes a southeasterly course to Vaughn's creek, south of which 
creek there arc no pine woods." 

All of West Feliciana east of tiiis line is a good upland country, 
^vith rolling surface, covered with a mixed forest of sJwrt-Ieafed pine, 
oaks, beeches, dogwood, etc. 

The soil is fair on the hilis and good in the creek bottoms, of a 
sandy nature, and easily cultivated. 

This portion of the parish I shall therefore include in the same 
subdivision as the northern parishes of the State, which in my last 
year's report I designated as "good uplands." 

The only towns of any importance in the parish arc Bt. Francis- 
ville, the seat of justice, and Bayou Sara, the shipping point. From 
this latter point a good railroad is in operation to Woodville, Missis- 
sippi. 

The products of "West Feliciana aro coiu, cotton and sugar cane. 
i'opulation, in 1870, 10,499 souls. 

Parish of East Feliciana. 

The line marking the western limit of the pine trees traced above 
in West Feliciana crosses Thompson's at the mouth of Vaughn's 
creek, and continuing in a southeasterly direction intersects the 
Clinton and Port Hudson Railroad at a point thirteen miles from the 
latter place; thence still southeasterly to a point on the Baton 
Rouge and Clinton road, one mile north of the mouth of Redwood 
creek; thence through the norfciieasi: corner of East Baton Eouge 
parish to Stony Point. All of the parish of East Feliciana west of 
this line is a bluff region, with all the characteristic features which 
nave been already sufficiently described. Five miles east of Port 
Hudson are Buhler's Plains, mentioned in my report of 1869. These 
plains average a mile or mile and a half in width from east to west 
and extend in a north and south direction from five to seven miles, 
beginning on the south at a point fifteen miles from Baton Rouf>-e. 



The plains are very much like the prairies of the western portion 
of the State. They seem to be less fertile than the prairies, how- 
ever, and have denser jungles of hawthorns and crab-apple trees. 
We see upon them the same natural ponds and maraia that form so 
striking a feature of the prairies of St. Landry and Calcasieu. In 
some spots the soil has a grayish white colo^, while in others it is 
black and apparently very good, yet all experiments have proved it 
entirely unproductive. The cause of this unproductiveness is a 
question well worthy of the study of the agricultural chemist. 

East of the line above traced the parish is a good upland coun- 
try to Sandy creek. Fine farpjs are found on Black bayou, Red 
Wood creek, the Amite river, Pretty and Walnut creeks. Olive 
Branch and all the tributaries of Thompson's creek flowing in from 
the east. On the ridges and hill tops the short leaf pine frequently 
gets the ascendanc}' of all other growth, but no part of this portion 
of East Feliciana can properly be called a '•' pine woods countrj'." 
Crossing Sand}^ creek v/e come to the genuine long leaf pine hills' 
live miles east of the town of Clinton. Sandy creek, therefore, to 
a point a little South of Clinton, may be taken as the boundary line 
of the long leaf pines for the northern portion of the parish. Go- 
ino- south this line bears eastward and follows the course of Black 
creek to its entrance into Amite River. 

Even in this portion of East Feliciana there are some fine farm- 
ing- tracts along the banks of the lesser streams. The bottom of 
Amive river averages about two miles in width, but is not generally 
settled or cultivated, owing to the certainty of annual overflow. 

Clinton and Jackeon, the former the courthouse town, and the 
latter of Centenary College, are the principal- towns of the parish. 

The products of the bluff lands are cotton, corn and cane; of the 
uplands cotton and corn and sweet potatoes. 

The population of tbo parish, in 1870, was 14,876 souls. 

Parish of SL Helena. 

This parish is bounded on the north by Mississippi; on the east 
by the parish of Tangipahoa; on the south by Livingston, and on 
the west by East Feliciana. A considerable portion of the eastern 
part of the old parish has been recently taken to form a part of the 
new parish of Tangipahoa. Ti ib. throughout its entire length and 



breadth, a pine woods pariKsb, the uplands being covered with the 
long leaf pine. Amite river forms the western boundary line, and 
has flowing into it Beech creek, Darling's creek, Lilly's creek and 
Olive creek. Tickfaw river Hows through the eastern part of the 
parish, with Mill creek on the east, Joseph's branch and Twelve-mile 
creek on the west for its principal tributaries. Hog branch and its 
several head-water tributaries rise in the southern part of the parish. 
On all of these small streams are found the farms of the parish, the 
soil being, as is usual in such sections of country, light, sandy and 
good when fresh, but soon wearing out under the present system of 
agriculture. We therefore soe in this parish numbers of old fields 
grown up with the scrub old field pine. The surface of the parish 
is hilly, the elevation of the ridges gradually diminishing toward 
the south, and finally sloping off into a general level near the south- 
ern boundary. This boundary line may bo taken as the average 
limit of the pine hills. 

Greensburg, the court house town, is the only village in the par- 
ish. Its population is between one and two hundred souls. The 
products of St. Helena are corn, cotton, sweet potatoes, and pine 
lumber to some extent. The i)opulation, in 1870, 5,920. 

Parish of Tangipahoa. 

This is one of the recently created parishes, being formed of 
parts of St. Helena, Livingston, Washington and St. Tammany. It 
lies along the New Orleans, Jackson and Great Northern Railroad, 
having a length of about fifty (50) miles and an average breadth of 
eighteen (18) miles. The northern half of the parish is hilly and 
covered by the characteristic long-leaf pino. The elevation of the 
extreme northern limit of the parish as shown by the profile of the 
New Orleans, Jackson & Great Northern Railroad is two hundred 
and fifty feet above tide water. Thence there is a gradual descent 
to the swamp which begins at a distance of from six to eight miles 
from the coast. The line traced in St. Helena as marking the base 
of the hills runs across the parish of Tangipahoa, about eight miles 
south of Amite city, bearing southeast after crossing the Tangi- 
pahoa river, and finally strikes the Tchefuncta river eight miles 
northwest of Covington. All south of this to the swamp line the 
surface of the country is very level, though gradually declining as 
above stated. The j)rmcipal grow this the long-leaf yellow pine. 



s 

Natalbany river runs througli the western part of the parish and 
forms 2?art of the western boundary line. The Tangipahoa, a beau- 
fal clear stream, runs through the centre of the parish from north to 
south. Between these two streams the level lands extend north- 
ward to within a short distance of Tangipahoa station. 

South of the pine flats comes the coast swamp. This is general- 
ly an impenetrable jungle of tupelo gums, cypress trees and swamp 
shrubbery. But a striking exception is found to this in the prairie 
marsh through which the railroad runs two miles south of Pontcha- 
toula station. This marsh is beautifully level, firm enough to be 
traversed on horseback, and covered with a rank growth of marsh 
grass. It is subject to tidal overflow; but protected from that, 
would probably niake exceedingly fertile rice lands. 

The settlers in Tangipahoa parish are found mostly along the line 
of the railroad and on the head waters of Natalbany river, the 
tributaries of Tangipahoa, the Tchefuncta and the streams which 
flow into it. The bottom of Tangipahoa is occasionally settled and 
under cultivation. The principal tributaries of Tangipahoa river 
are, on the west, Terry's and Beaver creek, on the east Tliompson's 
Spring, Big creek and Chappapela river. All of these are fine clear 
bold streams, affording fine water power and good fishing. The 
products of the parish are cotton, com, lumber, fish and game. 
The population in 1870, 1947. 

Parish of Washington. 

This is the extreme northeast parish of those lying on the east of 
the Mississippi river. Pearl river forms its eastern boundary line, 
and the Tchefuncta its western, the parish of St. Tammany forming 
the boundary on the south. Like St. Helena, it is eminently a long- 
leaf pine hill parish, with, however, some special features of interest. 
The parish is intersected by a number of most beautiful limpid 
streams, all of them bold, perennial, and with fall enough to aflbrd 
fine water power. The transparency of the waters of all of these 
streams, and especially of those in the eastern part of the parish, can 
scarcely be realized from a mere description. They must be seen to 
be fully appreciated. Flowing through a sandj^ well wooded coun- 
try, they are not rendered turbid by heavy falls of rain, and when in 
their normal condition the smallest grains of white sand can be seen 



9 

rolling along their dinaplcd bottoms c »'cn •where the water is several 
feet :u depth. Fine brook trout and perch and pike can be seen 
sporting in them, but the iisherman has poor luck with the hook and 
line. The Tchefnncta, Bogue Chitte, Pushapatapa and Bogue Loosa 
are the largest of these streams. These have numbers of smaller 
tributaries possessing the same characteristics as their principals. 
Flowing into Pearl river is a large number of short but full creeks- 
These take their rise at the base of the hills bordering the bottom 
of Pearl river. Their source is generally one or several larg(i 
springs. Ard's spring and the Jacksonville springs are the most 
noted of these. The former, situated in the northeastern corner of 
the parish, covers an area of between two and three acres, over 
which surface the water boils up from thousands of holes in the pure 
white sand of the bottom. Tlio creek that flows from this spring 
contains nearly enough water to float a steamboat. The springs at 
Jacksonville have been improved, and were once ro-^urted to for 
bathing purposes. The waters possess no healing properties, and are 
remarkable only for their absolute purity. 

Between the Tchefuncta and Bogue Chitto I crossed the track of 
one of those terrific hurricanes that sometimes sweep over our- 
Southern States. For a width of nearly one mile there was not one 
tree left standing. Most of them were torn up by the roots and lay 
prostrate in full length. But many in the vain effort to resist the 
fierce tornado had been twisted in two ind lay scattered around in 
hundreds of shattered fragments. 

The farming regions of Washington parish are situated along the 
streams and tributaries above mentioned. The Tchefuncta and 
Bogue Chitto bottoms contain the largest farms nov/ under cultiva- 
tion. The bottom of Bogue Chitto is about one and a half to two 
miles in width on either side of the stream, consisting of first a half 
mile of good alluvial soil, then a half mile of hummoch land and 
seed brakes, and then about a mile of second bottom entirely above 
overflow. The bottom of Poarl river is, on an average, three miles 
in width, similar to that of Bogue Chitto, and formerly contained 
some fine plantations in flourishing condition. Now most of these 
are lying idle from a want of labor and frequency of overIiow,s, 

The products of Washington are corn, cotton and some cane on 
Pearl river. Large numbers of cattle, and sheep to some extent, 



1(1 

;iio raised for tho Now Orleans market. The forests of pino show 
by the old cups that turpontine was once, made to do iuconsiderablo 
extent in somo parts of tho parisli. I "svas told that business had 
been entirely abandoned on account of the uncertainty of command- 
ing' and controllinc^ labor at critical times. It would seem as if 
nature had intended that turpentine and lumber should be the prin- 
cipal sources of wealth to all of this and the adjoining parishes. It 
is also to be hoj)ed that at some future day the splendid water 
power of Washington parish will be utilized in running mills and 
factories. 
The population of the parish in 1870 was 3381 souls. 

Parish cf St. Tammany. 

The parish of St. Tammany lies south of Washington; has Pearl 
river for its boundary line on the east. Lake Pontchartrain on the 
south and the Tchefuncta river on the west. 

It may be divided into two distinct topographical sections. A 
little more than half of the parish on the north is a hilly, pine cov- 
ered country, similar to St. Helena and Washington parishes. The 
ridges trending south gradually decrease in elevation, and finally 
slope off into a uniformly level country about twelve miles from 
Lake Pontchartrain. The line marking the termination of the hills 
bears off from the Tchefuncta river near the line between townships 
five and six. Thence trending eastward it crosses the roads run- 
ning north from Covington at distances varying between five and 
six miles from that place; thence bearing more southward, the hills 
extend to within five miles of the little village of Lima, in the south- 
eastern part of the parish. All of the parish south of this line is 
extremely level, with an open growth of long leaf pine, diversified 
by "bay galls," ponds and shallow sluggish coulees. Within a mile 
or two of the coast the forest becomes more dense; the pines are 
nearly crowded out by water oaks, live oaks, magnolias and gum 
trees. The swamp and sea-marsh of Tangipahoa parish extend into 
the southwestern corner of the parish of St. Tammany, and reach 
the town of Lewisburg. In the extreme eastern part of the parish 
the delta of the Pearl forms a low Hat country, including Honey 
island. Las Conchas island, and several others of minor importance. 

The streams of the parish all flow southward, the most important 



11 

being the Tchefuncta (sometimes spelt Chefimctu), Big and Little 
Bogue Phalia, Abeta Creek, a number of short bayous llowing into 
Lake Pontebfii- train, West Pearl river and the Bayou and the Bogue 
Chitto. These streams, like those of Washington parish, in their 
course througli the pine hills arc clear, bold and quick flowing; in 
the level country they become deeper and more sluggish. The 
Lower Tchefuncta and Bogue Phalia are strikingly similar to the 
two branches of Calcasieu river just before their entrance into Lake 
Charles. 

St. Tammany parish has several villages worthy of notice. Cov- 
ington, on Bogue Phalia, at the head of navigation, contains some 
three hundred inhabitants. It is now somewhat dilapidated, but 
still shows some pretty residences and well-improved yards. Madi- 
sonville, Louisburg and Mandeville are pleasant villages on the lake 
shore, much resorted to by the citizens of Now Oilcans in search of 
recreation. Hunting, fishing and bathing facilities constitute their 
chief attractions. 

The products of St. Tammany are cotton, corn and potatoes in 
the uplands, cane and rice along the coast, cattle from the pine hills 
and flats, lumber, fish, gauie, jDOultry and vegetables for the New 
Orleans market. 

The population is 558G souls. 

Parish of Livingston. 

Amite river forms the boundary of Livingston par-'oli on the east 
and south, the Natalbany on the west, and the parish of St. Helena 
lies to the north. The parish is level as compared with those just 
described. The hills of St. Plelena, as herein before remarked, ter- 
minate near the northern boundary line of Livingston, and except- 
ing a few mounds in the eastern part of the parish, and some slight 
ridges in the western part there is nothing to break up the general 
level. And yet there is some diversity in its surface. To indicate 
this diversity more perfectly I will first give the drainage of the 
parish. The Natalbany river runs along the eastern boundary line, 
partly coninciuing with it, and partly just within. Tickfaw river 
luns nearly parallel to Natalbany, between six and eight miles to 
the west of it, until it bends sharply to the east;, in the northwest 
corner of township eight south, range six west. Tickfaw has two 



12 

tributaries on the east, namely: Blood river aud Lizzard creek; on 
the west it lias one large tributary called Hog Branch, running in a 
south southeast course and forming a junction with the Tickfaw 
near the middle of the parish. Still further westward are three 
bayous called east, middle and west Colgell respectively, which 
unite to foinn one stream in the southern part of the parish, just 
before emptying into the AmiLe. Still westward we come to Grey's 
creek, and then to the Amite. 

The space between the Natalbany and Tickfaw rivers is a regular 
long leaf pine flat. The long leaf pines cross the river above the 
mouth of Hog Branch and the line which limits them on the west 
follows the course of that stream to the northern boundary of the 
parish. Passing west of Tickfaw and Hog Branch we traverse a flat 
mixed short leaf pine, oak, beech and gum belt, with undergrowth 
of ground palmeitoes, for six miles. Then an open short leaf pine 
bait, slightly elevated and dry, until wc rcacli the banks of East 
Colgell bayou. Between this and the Vv est Colgell or Black ba3'ou, 
as it is eomciiuies called, the country is almost one continuous 
jungle. The forest is exceedingly dense, composed of beech, mag- 
xiolia, gums, swamp oaks, beam wood, ash, lima, etc., with frequent 
cane brakes and swamps. In wet seasons this whole country 
becomes a vast sheet of water, the overflows of the three Colgells 
uniting with each other. 

West of Black bayou the land begins to rise slightly and soon 
becomes a good farming country. The country along the banks of 
Gray's creek and thence to tiie Aniite river is a very fine farming 
region and similar to a large part of the parish of East Baton Eouge. 

Along the southern borders of Livingston, in the region known 
as the French settlements, the lands are Mississippi river alluvion. 
The borders of Lake Maurepas are swampy and marshy like those 
of Lake Pontchartrain. 

In addition to the items mentioned in the descriptions of the 
above parishes, I have obtained the names of all streams not named 
on the published maps of the State. I have located all of the prin- 
cipal roads in the parishes examined, and made pencil sketches of 
several characteristic scenes, for future use in the illustration of luy 
final report. 

To make a summary of my this year's labors, I find that +heso 



13 

Eastern parishes contaiu within their limits representatives of all 
of the characteristic topographical features of Louisiana, excepting 
the prairies, viz: The alluvial lands along tlie immediate banks of 
the Mississippi, and extending through Ascension into the southern 
part of Livingston ; second, the bluff lands, whose eastern boundary 
line runs nearly parallel to the river, at a distance of from twelve to 
twenty-foui" miles from it, including in this region more than three- 
fourths of West Feliciana, scarce one-fourth of East Feliciana, 
nearly all of East Baton Kouge, and the Amite and Grey's creek 
country of Livingston; third, the good uplands, which include the 
northeast corner of West Feliciana, the central portion of East. 
Feliciana and the extreme northeast corner of East Baton Rouge; 
fourth, the long-leaf pine hill country, which takes in the eastern 
one-third of East Feliciana, the whole of St. Helena, the northern 
half of Tangipahoa, the whole of Washington, and the northern 
half of St. Tammany, after excepting the bottoms of the main 
streams in all of them; fifth, pine flats, which make up the southern 
half of St. Tammany and Tangipahoa and more than half of Liv- 
ingston on the east; sixth, the coast marsh and swamp along the 
borders of Lakes Pontchartrain and Maurejjas. 

In conclusion, I would beg leave to state that Major T. S. Hardee, 
the author oi. the official map of the State of Louisiana, has very 
kindly furnish 3d me with an uncolored copy of his map, upon which 
I have drawn in colors the topographical features of the State. I 
submit the map as a preliminary one, to indicate tlie manner in 
which my completed map will bo constructed. In regard to this 
preliminary map, I would say that only an approximate accuracy is 
aimed at. 

Some of the boundary lines of the topographical subdivisions of 
the State are already sufficiently accurate for all practical purposes, 
as they arc obtained from authorities undoubtedly good ; others are 
meant to exhibit only the general deductions that I have made from 
my own unfinished observations. 

The line of the coast march I have adopted as given by Major 
Hardee, and may be relied on as it is taken from the United States 
Coast Survey maps. The boundary lines of the alluvial lands are 
mainly taken from the report of Humphreys and Abbot on the Mis- 
sissippi Valley, and extended to some extent by my own survey. 



u 

The lines of all the subdivisions in the eastern parishes, being the 
results of ray this year's labor, which was less in extent but more 
carefully performed than heretofore, are very close approximations 
to' correctness. In that part of the State west of the Mississippi the 
prairies are quite accurately delineated. So are the southern limits 
of the region covered by the long leaf pines. But the line markiug 
the northern limit of the pine country lays no claim to anything but 
an exceedingly general correctness. I have crossed this line at sev- 
eral points quite distant from each other, and have connected these 
points by lines that I have endeavored to keep as nearly correct as 
possible by using information obtained from persons living in the 
sections of country through which they run. 

The map will serve at least one useful purpose, namely, to exhibit 
at one view the work already done, and what yet remains to be done 
to make a topographical map of the State. 

I am, very respectfully, your obedient servant, 

SAMUEL H. LOCKETT, 

Professor of Engineering. 

Respectfully forwarded to the Honorable Board of Supervisors, 

D. F. BOYD, Superintendent. 



